In fact, let’s just get that bad boy out of the way first so as not to complete ruin the integrity of the entire bag. That way we end on a good note!

So yeah… another set of JCat Beauty eyelashes.

Another set. you know, because I totally sport freakishly long hair phalanges at work each day. (haha).

Obviously I would need a new set.

Duh.

Speaking of- I think it would be hilarious to do a video of me attempting to put these elongated treasures of eye hair on.

Hilarious.

And sad.

As mentioned last week, my questionnaire is straight vanilla. No adventure. Just simple and plain. Do you think they’re trying to loosen this 30 year old grandma up a little?

Perhaps.

That has to be it.

So yeah, eyelashes. Again.

Let’s move on to the good stuff now!

Because the rest of the bag was splendid!

Check out this beautiful Pop Beauty lip gloss in Fuschia Freesia.

It’s no surprise that I’ve been wearing it practically every single day (um, interchangeably with the colors I’m trying to use up.)

I’ve liked every product I’ve received from Pop Beauty, and this was no different. It’s lightweight and is super glossy.

And gorgeous bright pink.

LOVE.

I also got this pretty full-size Zoya nail polish in Odette.

I’ve gotten a few Zoya nail polishes with Ipsy, and they’ve all had staying power and also dry quickly which I appreciate. I’m giving away the blue color I got as part of my giveaway, and even though I think this color is pretty, I am going to add it to the stack too. Yay for a full-size, pretty polish!

I pretty much love everything they make, and this was just like the others. It smells fantasic and does wonders for dry skin. I’m definitely going to bring this up to the office and use it when I need a mental vacation.

Finally, I got this full size Tini Beauty Eyetini Cordial Cream Shadow + Base In One in Spiced Rum.

GUYS.

I so so so like this stuff. It’s great!

So, confession. When I first pulled it out, I thought it was a bronze-y lip gloss. I mean, look. It came with a wand.

So yeah, thankfully I read and realized it was way better than that! It’s a stay-put all day wear cream eye shadow. If you’re in the market for something like this, I would definitely recommend this Tini Beauty eyeshadow. I figured when I put it on my lid, it would crease and look funny, but it dried super- fast and didn’t bleed into the crease at all. Look!

Stay tuned for a birthday celebration, and also check in for a video IF recap! I’m not sure which will get posted on Friday and which one will be on Saturday, so it will be a surprise for both of us. <3

It provides a plethora of services around the globe. One of their focuses centers around ending human trafficking. Do you know just how prevalent trafficking is right here in the US?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates 600,000 to 800,000 victims are trafficked annually across international borders worldwide and about half of these victims are younger than 18 (U.S. Department of State, 2005, 2006, 2007). Additionally, the U.S. State Department estimats that 80 percent of internationally trafficked victims are female and 70 percent are trafficked into the sex industry (U.S. Department of State, 2005).

Heartbreaking.

Here in Oklahoma, No Boundaries plays a major role in working to end trafficking right here in my backyard.

While I’m still learning more about the organization’s intricacies, I love the cause.

There’s lots of ways to get involved, but if you take a look here, there’s a need for help that’s right up so many women’s alleys.

I want to get involved and do something nice for these girls, so during the entire month of February I am going to take collections up for all new and barely used (and barely as in you bought it and realized it didn’t work) makeup & goodies from all my girlfriends.

I’m going to then put together gift bags together complete with a few healthy snacks, warm gloves, Bible tracts, pocket hand sanitizer and maybe a couple other small treats.

Then I’m going to deliver it to them so they can help make these girls’ days just a tiny bit brighter.

Most of these ladies have so little self-esteem after the things they have seen and experienced. No one buys them anything or does anything nice for them, and I pray they begin to see their value, and their value in God’s eyes too.

I realize collecting all the makeup you’ll never use will require a trip to the post office and will cost you some money to send, but I can promise you it will be well worth it. I also have a feeling you’ll end up being blessed in return.

So, please take a moment to really think about doing this for these girls.

If you’re like me, you’re pretty darn blessed. You also probably have a drawer filled of never used stuff you “might want to try” one day (and never will).

I’m going to be posting multiple reminders back to this post throughout the month.

I urge you to really think about sending stuff my way. it will only take 30 minutes and probably less than $10, and I cannot convey you the difference it will make in this organization’s ability to use these resources, not to mention the difference it will make in the girl’s life who receives them.

I love you guys so much, and am so thankful for each of you who reads, lurks, comments, whatever! I’m thankful

As usual, I liked everything in the bag. Nothing strange which is always a plus.

(knock on wood) I’ve had a lot of good luck with Ipsy! Nothing too outlandish aside from a few products, but other than that, I’ve really liked everything!

Let’s dive into this month’s bag!

I got a sample size Elizabeth Mott smooth shadow in Pearl.

The color is beautiful, and can be used for so much! I used it last week over my lid, and have also used it as a highlighter. It goes on incredibly smooth which I love. I was worried it would fade or melt off during the day since it was so velvety, but it had staying power!

I got a cute tiny sample of the Apothederm® Bright Skin Serum, which is formulated to help refine, brighten, and hydrate for a more even complexion.

I haven’t used it yet, but I know I will. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to see a big difference in a small sample size, but we shall see.

Next, I got a 10 pack travel size packet of the Willa® On the Go Natural Towelettes. They have a nice, light lavender smell , and will definitely get used on my next trip.

I also got the Sexy Hair Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner. I know anything from this brand is going to be great, and this conditioner is no different. Soft and protected hair is always a good thing, and I will definitely use this up fast!

I also got this full size (MALIN+GOETZ) Mojito Lip Balm. It’s my favorite thing in this month’s bag.

It smells and tastes excellent, but the best part of all is that it totally works. It is incredibly hydrating and helped keep my lips moist and smooth, which is huge for my dry skin and this super drying winter weather.

Will gets Christmas Eve and Day off (I only get Christmas Day), so we opted to take some vacation and wrap the holiday around a weekend.

Such a good decision.

I rarely take vacation these days, and it feels so good to have some time off.

Guys, I had such a splendid weekend!

I don’t even know where to begin.

My work day was pretty quiet, which was so nice. Afterward I made a trip to the grocery store alongside heaps of other Oklahomans.

An ice storm threatened to snap power lines and kill everyone’s holiday plans- so off to the store the world went.

Hey, I was just going to the store like I usually do. I did not want to get caught up in all the chaos, but I didn’t have much of a choice!

Friday night was busy with stuff around the house, getting stuff ready for Christmas with the families, laundry, and making dinner. We caught up on some of our shows and called it an early night. By the time we went to bed, the rain was steady, so we knew we would wake to ice!

As anticipated, we woke early to ice covered everything!

I skipped the gym and did a Max Interval Insanity workout at home to play it safe. I did some stuff around the house, and then Will and I ventured out to do a little last minute shopping. We had one gift card to get before we were all done.

Thankfully, although everything around us with enclosed in ice (like Will’s truck), the roads were clear.

We got the gift card and enjoyed lunch at On the Border. We went home, and before long it was time to get ready for our Life Group Christmas party!

I have been looking forward to getting together all week, and it didn’t disappoint.

It was a casual party, but we all still sort of glammed it up more than normal. I wore a ridiculous amount of makeup and had so much fun getting ready. I suppose I could experiment with different colors and layers every day, but I don’t, so things like Christmas parties are all the more fun.

Lots of eye shadow.

Before the party, we invited another couple from the group out for coffee.

Way too long of a story to get into in a weekend recap. However, to sum it up we thought Will might be taking the group over as the leader but after some time and prayer we both felt like the original leaders should keep ownership and that perhaps down the road God might be calling us to start our own.

Anyway, we met for coffee to share our hearts and thoughts and it ended up being a great conversation and I think we all left feeling encouraged.

Then it was off to the party!

Everyone brought delicious goodies to share. I made this fruit salsa with stevia instead of sugar. So very a good. In fact, I’m going to bring it to our Christmas brunch with Will’s family too!

We had a great time, and enjoyed good company. after the party, a group of us went dancing to celebrate one of our girl’s 40th birthday!

Oh my goodness friends, we had such a wonderful time!

We went to a place that’s known for having a little older crowd, and it was the best decision ever. No half naked young girls or greasy guys, just a mature crowd of people that wanted to enjoy a nice night out.

(sorry for the terrible blur, but it’s the only pic we took together Saturday!)

Ah guys it was such a blast! We danced our hearts out. Will was such a good sport. He didn’t dance (most of the guys that went didn’t), but he hung out and let us girls dance the night away. Before I knew it, he told me it was 1:00! I could tell he was ready to go (um, it was 1:00! We are usually asleep by 9 haha), so we called it a night, as did most everyone else.

Such, such a great night. I am so thankful for our group! For anyone that says Christians don’t have fun or know how to have a good time- come hang with us and we will prove you wrong.

By the time we got home, and I wiped off all the layers of makeup and got ready for bed, it was nearly 2:00! Surprisingly, we didn’t sleep as late as I thought. I got up a little before 9 and started the day.

Our church has a million Christmas services this week, so we opted to go to one tonight instead of yesterday. Definitely check out the times, I would love for you to attend our online service!

After my workout, today was all about football. Will was in his fantasy championship, so I was a good wife and plopped on the couch most of the day to cheer “him” on as his guys played throughout the day.

I did manage to do some laundry, dishes, and cooking amidst all the football so it wasn’t entirely unproductive.

Will has a couple guys playing tonight, so we won’t know if he won until later tonight, but it’s not looking pretty. My fingers are crossed, the extra money would be a welcomed gift this Christmas!

Today we’re headed to the movies, church, and dinner and Christmas lights with my family. I’m looking forward to it.

No need to share meals this week, we planned a few, but most of the week will be centered around family gatherings and leftovers.

I plan to have an amazing week of workouts. Since I’m off a couple days, that allows me to hit the gym when I would otherwise workout at home (since my home workouts are usually good for days when I’m short on time). I’m excited about a ridiculous leg day since I missed my usual Saturday routine.

Here’s a quick look at posts this week. Since it’s Christmas, I’m keeping with the theme. Hey, it only comes once a year so we have to soak it up, yes?

I’ve gotten a couple Pop Beauty products and like all of them, and this is no different. The colors are beautiful and have a shimmer, and they’re in neutral tones which are my favorite.

Next I got this Demeter roll-on perfume oil in Snow.

Earlier this summer I got a Demeter roll-on scent and really enjoyed it. It’s not something I would have picked for myself because it is such a light, airy frangrance, but I definitely like it.

This snow scent is much the same. It is a very nice, clean smell but just so darn faint! I like it, will use it, but might have to layer it on to really get a whiff.

I also got this full-size NYX lipstick in B52.

I’ve gotten lots of NYX products in my Ipsy subscriptions and really like them. I love that they sell NYX at Target now too, so it’s much easier to browse and buy versus doing it online.

The color is nice and neutral. I thought it might be a little dark for my pale skin, but I was wrong. The color is so beautiful!

Finally, the product I’m most super excited about!

I got this full size Be a Bombshell The One stick in Girl Crush.

LOVE.

I totally have a girl crush on this product. It’s an all in one stick that can be used on eyes, cheeks, lips, or for highlighting. It’s a pinky-neutral color with added shimmer and it looks so pretty on!

See? Not over the top. Very light but still beautiful and slightly glowy.

I’ve loved everything I’ve received from Be a Bombshell cosmetics, and they’ve all been full size too!

So this bag was definitely a winner, and I’m glad I didn’t wait until Christmas to open it, so I can enjoy some of these beauties leading up to the big day!

This month’s theme was all about looking Glam for the season, so the products were all about standing out during holiday parties.

Which we don’t really go to… but still! I like the thought that if I did go to a holiday party, I would look extra glam-y. Haha

Overall, I was so excited about everything I got.

I got multiple full-size products!

Very exciting. It was like Christmas came early.

The was only one thing I was sort of “eh” about, but we will get to that later, because I wasn’t really even “eh” for the reason you might think.

Enough chatter, let’s get to it!

So here’s the bag everything came in:

I really like this bag. This is among my favorites. So, well, glam! The other bag I really liked came in my September Classic Beauty bag.

Okay, so now on to what I got!

YouTube star Michelle Phan recently released her new cosmetic line, Em, so all the bags came with full size Em goodies!

So, that’s where my “eh” comes in.

The first thing I got was a full size Lash Gallery Mascara by Em.

I say “eh” because this is the third mascara I’ve gotten from Ipsy in the last four months. The good thing is that it’s mascara and something I will always use, so I really can’t be disappointed at all. Plus this one was full size, so that’s great! (#firstworldproblems)

The next product was a full size (yay!) Be a Bombshell lip crayon.

Look how beautiful this color is!

You can’t get much more glam that a pretty red lip. I am so excited about this color. It looks good on, and it stays allll.day. This will get used, and fast.

Next, I got this beautiful and glam-y full size Nailtini polish in Caviar Cocktail.

I realize I was totally down on last month’s blue nail polish (despite how beautiful the color is), but this grey seems way more up my alley, mainly because it has more of a classic feel (at least to me).

Annnnd- I got another full size product!

This is the Pixi Bronzer.

It’s really pretty, and extremely necessary for someone as pale as me.

I also got this full size Starlooks gem eye pencil in Amethyst.

I instantly fell in love with Starlooks when I got their beautiful pink lip liner in one of my first bags, so I was hopeful this product would be equally wonderful.

It is super sparkly when it goes on, so not really work appropriate but definitely “glam” appropriate.

I am a big fan of Morrocan oil, so I was curious to see how argan oil compared. I used it a few different times last week, and I think it works just as great! It smelled nice, didn’t leave my hair greasy, and left it nice, smooth, and healthy.

This bag was such a huge winner! I cannot believe all the full size products, and not only that, but I’m legitimately excited about all of them too!

This month’s bag was pretty good overall, with the exception of one wild item (think J Cats body glitter and false eyelashes).

4 out of 5 isn’t too bad, right?

Okay, let’s dive right in.

So here’s the bag everything came in.

Not my favorite and will be part of a giveaway. Cute for a tweener, so hopefully it will go to good use!

The first thing I pulled out was this Costal Scents medium eye shadow brush.

I am a big fan of makeup brushes, and I do not have one quite like this, so I will definitely use it.

Second, I pulled out the La Fresh facial cleansing pads sample pack.

These are great!

I actually use cleansing pads every single night as a way to remove my makeup, so I knew I would definitely use these up fast. I ended up taking them with me on my DC trip and using them there. They smell really nice and are totally eco-friendly. These are definitely a winner!

To be honest, though, I would not go out and buy these. While they’re great, my other ones are just as effective and I can get them when I’m already at the store.

Next, I got this Wet n Wild eye shadow compact. Fergie just came out with a line under this brand inspired by her favorite looks.

I think the colors are beautiful.

They don’t look all that great on me right now since I am pale, but they will definitely look nice if I ever stop being so lazy and just tanned my pale self already! Anyway, very pretty.

Fourth, I got the Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel.

I am a fan of their products anyway, so I was excited to see this.

While it definitely goes give volume and smells nice, it doesn’t seem to do much different than my Suave Volumizing Mousse, and is priced higher. So I’m excited about this product, will definitely use it, but will not buy it for myself.

Finally, I got this full-size Zoya blue nail polish.

The color is beautiful, and even looks pretty on.

But honestly?

I’m just not a blue nail polish wearing girl.

I want to be, I do, but I’m just not.

I painted my nails in hopes that it would make me like it on, and I just felt sort of silly. I’m just so plain and traditional, that it seems so way out there for me.

So I’m conflicted.

The color is really pretty, but am I really going to wear it? More than likely, no. So I’m thinking I will probably include this in a giveaway.